Purifying device for steam.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1903. A. L. 00mm. v PURIFYING DEVIGE FOB. STEAM.

APPLICATION FILED APR 10, 1902 NO MODEL.

1': mums PETERS m, PHOTO-LITHQ. wAsa-imcrom o c 1 Mrs TATES Patented May 5, 1903.

PURIFYING DEVICE FOR S TEAIVI.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 726,872, dated May 5, 1903.

Application filed April 10, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADELBERT L. CovILL, residing at Nelsonville, in the county of Port% age and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Purifying Devices for Steam, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in purifying devices for steam.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved construction for purifying steam, particularly exhaust-steam, where by said steam maybe utilized for many desirable purposesas, for instance, for pas-' teurizing milk-the invention thus making it possible to employ the exhaust-steam from an engine for pasteurizing purposes with equal indicates a steam-tight tank, preferably of cylindrical form and having a pipe& leading thereto from a source of steam-supply, the said pipe entering the tank near the upper portion of said tank. In case exhaust-steam is used and which myinvention primarily is intended to utilize the pipe 4 leads from the engine to the tank 3. The said tank 3 varies in size to correspond to the horse-power of the engine-cylinder and is intended to be filled half full of water when set up ready for work. The pipe 4 extends through the cylinder to'the interior thereof, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, and to its inner end is coupled an elbow 5. This elbow is turned toward one As a conse- 'denses in saidtank;

Serial No. 102,229. (No model.)

quence the oil-laden water is deposited on said smooth surface of the Water in thebottom of the tank and is held down by the pres sure device hereinafter. referred to and must therefore pass out of the tank through the discharge-pipe 6, located half-way up the side of said tank. It follows that it is impossible for the oil to pass upwardly with the steam, and the result is therefore that said steam passes outof the tank free of all oil. Extending from the side of the tank opposite to the side against which theelbow 5 discharges the steam is an overflow-pipe 6, having a regulating-valve 7. When the machine is in operation, the valve 7 is -left open sufficiently to allow'for the escape of a very small quantity of steam and to retain the water-level half-way up the tank 3 as the steam con- As the steam discharges from the elbow 5 it causes a continual passing of oil and Water through the overflowpipe 6.

Extending from the tank 3 and close to the bottom of said tank, and preferably from the same side thereof that the overflow-pipe 6 extends, is a drain pipe 8, said pipe having therein a regulating-valve 9. This pipe is used for the purpose of draining the tank in winter to prevent freezing when the machine is not in use.

For the purpose of filling the tank 3 with water to a level with the overflow-pipe 6 I employ a water-supply pipe 10, which conmeets to a coupling 11, said coupling in turn communicating with the top of the cylinder. This pipe is controlled by meansof a valve 12 and is also provided at its feed end with 'a'funnellS to facilitate the pouring of the water therein. The tank 3 is only filled to the level of the overflow-pipe 6 at the start, and thereafter the level is maintained by the condensation of the steam inthe tank. Also connected with coupling 11 and extending upwardly therefrom is a pipe 14, which in practice is preferably not less than six feet long and of the same size aspipe If this pipe 14 were made too short, it might permit of suction from the tank 3. The upper end of pipe 14: connects with a T-coupli'ng 15, and extending from one end of this T-coupling is a pipe 16, which is provided with a safetyvalve 17. This valve is set so as to resist a certain predetermined pressure in order that a continual pressure may be exerted on the surface of the water in the tank 3, whereby the heavy substances, such as oil, &c., are forced out of the overflow-pipe 6, and thereby prevented from passing up into the pipe 14. Extending from the opposite end of the T- coupling is a pipe 18, which is controlled by means of a valve 19. For convenience this valve is preferably operated by means of a handle 20, which is in convenient position to be reached by the operator. Coupled to the pipe 18 and extending downwardly therefrom is another pipe 21, and this pipe is controlled by means of a valve 22. The pipe 21 extends to the place where the purified steam is to be utilized, and for the sake of clearly illustrating a desirable application of the invention I show it extending into a skimmedmilk tank 23, the lower end of said pipe terminating a short distance above the bottom of said tank. The skimmed milk-is conducted from the separator and discharged into the tank 23 by means of a feed-pipe 2a. Through the bottom of the tank extends a dischargepipe 25. This pipe projects upwardly above the bottom of the tank for a desired distance, so that the milk will rise to the height of the top of the pipe 25 in order that said milk may be heated to the required degree before being discharged from the tank.

In the operation of my invention the tank 3 is first filled to the level indicated by pouring water into the funnel 13. The steam passing through the pipe 4 enters the tank3 and is discharged from the coupling 5 against the side wall of said tank. All impurities with which the steam may be laden-as, for instance, oil, &c.-will be caught by the water in the tank 3, and as said water is constantly running out through the overflowpipe 6 the impurities are carried off thereby,

leaving nothing but pure light steam to flow through the pipe and into the skimmed-milk tank. The valve in the overflow-pipe 6 is so adjusted as to allow a very small quantity of steam to escape and to also retain the waterlevel half-way up the tank, the water in said tank of course being constantly augmented by the water of condensation from the steam. The steam flows up the pipe 14, and the safety-valve 17 is so regulated as to retain just pressure enough to force the steam along the pipe 18 (the valve 19 being open to the required extent) and thence down the pipe 21, the valve 22 being adjusted so as to admit the proper quantity of steam to pass from the pipe 21 to the point where the purified steam is to be utilized, the accompanying illustration showing it extending into the skimmed-milk tank. The lower end of the pipe 21 extends into the skimmed milk in the tank 23, and hence said milk is raised to the proper temperature before passing out of the discharge-pipe 25. hen the machine is not in use, the valve 19 should be closed, so that the pipe 21 will not rust.

It will be seen that my construction is such that all impurities are removed from the steam before said steam passes to the point where it is to be utilized, and this is especially advantageous, inasmuch as it permits exhaust-steam to be utilized for many purposes where it has heretofore been thought undesirableas, for instance, in pasteurizing milk. Heretofore it has been impracticable to use exhauststeam for the purpose stated, owing to the fact that said steam becomes so thoroughly impregnated or laden with the oil and other impurities in its passage through the engine as to be unserviceable for pasteurizing purposes. At the present time in creameries where the skimmed milk is pasteurized the pasteurizing has been accomplished entirely by the use of direct steam from the boiler. This is obviously a very expensive expedient, owing to the amount of fuel necessarily required in order to produce the steam. Furthermore, in many creameries the boiler capacity is not large enough to stand such a steady loss of steam as is necessarily consumed where the direct steam is used for pasteurizing. My machine, furthermore, is easyto operate, and if care is exercised and the valve 7 left partly open the machine will do its work thoroughly and without care or cost for an unlimited length of time.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a purifying device for steam, the combination of a water-tank, means for feeding water thereto, a steam-inlet pipe leading to and adapted to discharge steam into the tank, the water in said tank catching the oil, heavy particles, or other impurities with which the steam may be laden, a normally'open overflow-pipe leading from the tank for the discharge of the oil-laden water therefrom, and adapted to maintain a certain level of said water in the tank, a steam-exit pipe leading from the tank to the place where the purified steam is to be utilized, and means for exerting a continual pressure in the tank sufficient to hold the oil, heavy particles, or other im purities in said tank.

2. In a purifying device for steam, the combination of a water-tank, means for feeding water thereto, a steam-inlet pipe leading to and adapted to discharge steam into the tank, the water in said tank catching the oil, heavy particles, or other impurities with which the steam may be laden, a normally open overflow-pipe leading from the tank for the purpose of discharging the oil-laden water there from, and adapted to maintain a certain level of said water in the tank, a steam-exit pipe leading from the tank to the place where the purified steam is to be utilized, and a safetyvalve in said pipe, and adapted for maintaining a continual pressure in the tank sufficient to hold the oil, heavy particles, or other impurities in said tank.

3. The combination of a water-tank, means for feeding water thereto, a steam-inlet pipe leading into said tank, an elbow at the inner in thewater-tank sufficient to hold the oil, 10 end of said steam-inlet pipe and within the heavy particles, or other impurities in said tank and extending downwardly at an incline tank.

and toward the inner wall of the tank, a nor- In testimony whereof I affix my signature mally open overflow-pipe leading from the in presence of two witnesses.

water-tank and adapted to maintain the wa- ADELBERT' LL COVILL. ter in said tank at a certain level, a stearn Witnesses:

exhaustv pipe leading from the water-tank, CARL O. DOXRUD,

and means for exerting a continual pressure L. L. LOBERG. 

